12/5/13

The Joy of Christmas: Day Five

Christmas is so much more than presents, trees, lights, and childhood.

We would all agree that Christmas is about Christ. Yet, we only focus our study on a small part of who Christ is during this Christmas season. We only talk about mangers, starts, angels, and a baby. He is so much more than that! We sing about and talk about the joy that comes with the Christmas story. But why is it so joyful that Christ was born?

Inspired by the Jesse Tree Advent book**, I am going to do a 25-Day series focusing on

finding joy in Christ!

Joy of Christmas: Day Five

Isaac and the Lamb

The story of Abraham being called upon to offer his son as sacrifice is clearly a type of Christ.  Many scholars have written and debated on all of the implications, reasons, and motives for both God and Abraham.  This story is told from so many angles and points of view.  We need only look at one angle today.  Christ was that Ram, or Lamb, in the thicket.  Christ was our substitute on the altar.  We deserved to die.  God's law required blood. We were the guilty ones.  We deserved the death.  Yet - Christ took our place. He died so that we would not.

Reading that to our five-year-old tonight I was able to see with fresh new eyes that awesome act.  I could see it in his face when I told him that "Jesus died so that you would not have to die."  The look went from shock, to relief, to confusion.  I am sure that he cannot comprehend the entirety of the situation.  But he is beginning to see what that means.  His body language and the look in his face reminded me that I have come to spout the words: "Jesus died for me," without any feeling or emotion.  I no longer have joy because I have become numb to the idea that Jesus took my place. 

This Christmas season, find joy in this TRUTH:
Jesus died for YOU, so that YOU would not have to die.


**Note: A simple google search will give you several options concerning the devotions and ornaments associated with the Jesse Tree. This is a site that I like: HERE

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